Dixie Chick
by CowGrl
Summary: Please read! Dixie is a 26 yr old Quarter Horse loving and living her life, until her favorite ride gets a new horse. Dixie tries to get her back, but someone else soon buys HER. Now, the question is, Does she want her old rider back?
1. Chapter 1 & 2

Dixie

Chapter 1

"Chirp, Chirp!" I heard the early morning birds sing.

Lifting my head, I looked out of my stall. Some of the other horses were waking up, too. Looking to my left, I saw Honey, my best horse friend.

"Good morning Dixie!" She said cheerfully. I nodded, still in a daze. I was so tired!

"Good morning Honey. What makes you so happy?" I asked her.

She turned around and pranced in her stall. I poked my head threw the window we had between the stalls to look at her.

"Well?" I said.

"Well! Caitlin's coming today! That means she's going to be RIDING me today!" Honey threw her head up and whinnied.

"Hush! Now any of the horses that were still sleeping, are wide awake!" I told her. My tone wasn't scolding, it was teasing, really.

She looked at me and I swore she rolled her eyes! "Of course, Dixie." She replied to me.

I shook my mane and went to the front of my stall again. Flicka, the horse to the right of me, nipped at my cheek to get my attention.

"Dixie! Look!" She threw her head to the end of the aisle and I looked. It was Sydney.

I turned around, facing the back of my stall, hoping she wouldn't see me.

"There you are Dixie!" I heard her voice. I moaned and turned to see her.

Sydney was the cruelest rider at the barn, and she always rode me.

"Come on now! Cheer up! You actually have a GOOD rider today!" She snapped. I flattened my ears back, and threatened to bite her. Sydney rolled her eyes and clipped the lead line to my leather halter.

She unlatched the stall door and led me out. I heard Honey and Flicka whisper "Good Luck." Behind me.

Sydney led me to the cross-ties and went to get my tack. When she came back, I saw that she had put on spurs and got her crop. I shook my mane and moaned.

Sydney quickly groomed me, not very well, and put on my violet saddle pad. Then came my black Antares Dressage saddle. She pulled the girth tight and then got my bridle.

She slipped off my halter, and put on my bridle. I took the bit with ease.

"Good girl." She patted my neck. That was the only nice thing she EVER did to me. Sydney only did that because she thought it would make me be good for her in the arena.

"Let's go." She gathered my reins and led me to the indoor arena.

I pranced all the way there. You had to go outside to get there, and there was snow outside!

"Be still!" Sydney told me, halting me halfway there. I calmed down. She didn't like it when I got antsy and pranced.

"Good." She said sharply. Then she started leading me to the arena again. I rolled my eyes and snorted.

When we finally reached the arena, I moaned because with Sydney-I knew I would have an excruciating lesson. I looked around and saw the other horses and riders that were warming up on the wall.

Sydney mounted me and told me to walk to the wall. When I walked there, she asked me to trot, but she used her spurs-HARD. I gave a little buck, then started to trot. I stretched my neck, asking for more rein. She gave me a little and I relaxed a bit.

Kelly, the instructor, walked in. "Walk!" She called out. Sydney slowed me and we waited for further instructions.

Chapter 2

"Posting trot!" Kelly told us. Sydney spurred me and asked me to trot. Even though I was furious about the spurs-I did as told. She started posting, and didn't pay attention.

"Sydney! Watch your diagonals!" Kelly told her. Sydney nodded and switched my diagonals.

"Sydney, come here please." Kelly asked. Sydney nodded and walked me over to Kelly.

"How many times have I told her this? No spurs, and no crops! Dixie knows what she's doing and doesn't need them from you!" Kelly scolded.

"But she bucks before she trots for me!" Sydney protested. I rolled my eyes.

"She only does that because you spur her when you ask her to trot! Now go back. Jillian's going to start the Dressage test." Kelly told her.

Jillian was the best riders out of the group that was taking the lesson right now. I used to be her school horse. She had light hands and gave very good signals. I was sad when she switched horses, and eventually bought that horse.

Now I was stuck with Sydney.

At least I had Tess, I thought. She was my other rider. Tess was about a year older than Sydney, but she just started riding.

And one of the things I loved about Tess, she rode me in Western! My favorite!

Sydney walked me to the end of the arena, and we watched Jillian perform her Dressage test.

She looked very professional, on her Mustang/Quarter cross, Spud.

Jillian trotted to X, then saluted Kelly.

She trotted A to C, cantered B back to A, did a posting trot A to B, B to D, and back around to A, then she trotted A to G, and did a flying change from G to M. Finally, she trotted back to X and saluted Kelly.

She trotted over to us, and it was now Sydney's turn.

Sydney had the exact same test, but I planned a little something.

She did the first part, but the when she cantered B back to A, she used the spurs-hard, and I gave a huge buck. I know it was mean, but someone had to put her in place!

Sydney held on and Kelly grabbed my reins.

"Dismount. Now. I told you not to use your spurs!" Kelly told Sydney. She nodded and dismounted.

"I'll hold Dixie while you go put away your spurs and crop." Kelly said. I saw Sydney's cheeks turn bright red from embarrassment.

"Good girl Dixie. Someone needs to keep her in line." Kelly stroked my neck. She knew I didn't do it to hurt her, but to teach her.

Sydney walked back in, with no spurs or crop. Now I could finally relax.

She mounted me and walked back to the end of the arena, and we watched the next girl complete the course.

When Sydney un-tacked me, she put me in the pasture. I saw my buddies Zip, and Lisa.

Zip was just a trail horse for his owner, Tony. And Lisa is training to be a Grand Prix horse with his owner, Amanda. Tony and Amanda are both around the age of 30, and they're married.

"Hey!" I trotted over to them.

"Hi Dixie!" Lisa greeted me.

"Hey, Dixie." Zip said, lifelessly. He laid on the ground and looked tired.

"Let me guess, Tony took you for a long, hard trail?" I asked him.

Lisa nodded for him. "And Amanda jumped me today!" She told me excitedly.

"Cool! I did Dressage with Sydney. I think Tess is coming later to ride me though! I hope we barrel race! I love barrel racing! And I'm good at it too! I'm long-legged, stocky, and fast!" I pranced with delight.

"Dixie you're too full of yourself!" Lisa joked.


	2. Chapter 3 & 4

Chapter 3

I heard a car coming near the field, and saw it was Tess. I galloped over to her and she stepped out wearing regular jeans, t-shirt, and cowboy boots.

"Dixie!" She ran over to me. I stuck my head over the fence and let her stroke my blaze. "C'mon!" Tess grabbed my halter, and slipped it over my head.

She opened the gate and led me out and into the barn onto the cross-ties.

I pranced with excitement when I saw she was bringing out my barrel saddle. "Ready for some barrel racing, girl?" She asked me, with a smile. I bobbed my head up and down, and she laughed.

In no time I was groomed and tacked up-ready for practice. She didn't have a lesson today, so she was just going to barrel race with Caitlin. So I got to practice with Honey!

Tess led me out to the arena that had the barrels set up. Soon, Caitlin led Honey in-and we were ready to go!

While we warmed up, Tess asked for some pointers from Caitlin.

Finally, Caitlin started. She shot off, aimed at the first barrel. Honey curved her body around it and then started off to the next barrel. Tess had a stopwatch, and I knew they would make amazing time. Finally, they finished and I heard Tess click the stopwatch.

"What was our time?" Caitlin asked her.

"15.304." Tess told her.

"Yes!" Caitlin cheered. Honey pranced around. They lived for barrel racing!

Before Tess started me, we heard a trailer coming in. Caitlin and Tess turned Honey and I around to see.

The guy stopped the trailer and went to the back. When he came back, out stepped a beautiful Quarter Horse mare. She was like a chocolate-bay color. Beautiful color, really.

"Wow." Tess breathed. Caitlin nodded. I looked at Honey and she looked at me.

We knew she was going to be a dominant horse, one that needed to be on top.

Tess dismounted and tied me to the fence

"What are you doing?" Caitlin asked her.

"Going to help and see the new horse! C'mon!" Tess told her, with a smile.

Caitlin rolled her eyes, but dismounted and tied up Honey next to me.

"What are we going to do?" I asked her. "She's obviously used to being the one with the power at her stables!"

"Well. Let's just weight it out. Hopefully it's just her looks, not her personality." Honey told me. I nodded and looked at Tess. She was stroking the mare and grinning like crazy. Something WASN'T right…

I listened to their conversation-Tess's and the guy's. I could pick up a few words.

"When…..now? Yay! Let….tack….ok!" Was what I heard Tess say. She jogged back to me.

"Let's go girl!" She said. She untied me and brought me into the barn to un-tack me. Then she led me out to the pasture next to the arena, and she got the mare tacked up. What was going on?

When Tess ran to get her helmet, I jumped the fence to talk to the horse.

"Who are you!" I demanded. She arched her neck over the fence.

"I'm Drifter. Tess's horse." The mare told me. I stared at her.

Before I could answer, a groom came and got me and put me back in the pasture.

What? Tess's horse? How? Why? NO! Either she was going to keep on riding me, or I was leaving.

I watched Tess ride Drifter on the barrels, and I was filled with envy. I turned around and started galloping around my field-searching for a way out. I could jump, but I wouldn't be able to make it to the woods. Finally, I stopped and ran towards the center. I needed a plan. I needed Tess back! I couldn't have only Sydney! How could Tess do this to me?

Laying down, I caught her and Caitlin laughing together, and saw that Honey was talking to Drifter. I sighed and went to sleep. I always got my best ideas then.

I woke up as a groom came to put me in my stall that night. Groggy, I went in and looked to the back of my stall. Honey and Drifter were outside in the pen. They must be sleeping there tonight. I felt lonely and left out. Facing the front of the stall, so I couldn't see them, I fell asleep-hoping that THIS was the dream.

I woke up the next morning and Honey was in the stall next to me.

"Hey." She said cheerily.

"Hey." I grumbled, not wanting to look at her. Today, I basically had the day off. Tess usually had a lesson on me, but now she had her horse. I waited for the grooms to let me out now.

"What's wrong?" Honey asked me.

"Nothing." I said sharply, hoping to end the conversation.

"Ok…sorry…" Honey shrunk back in her stall.

I ignored her and finally the grooms came. They put me out in the pasture Zip and Lisa were usually in, but neither were there. I assumed that Tony and Amanda had them on a trail. Just then, I saw them head out on the North Trail, their black coats glistening in the early morning sunlight.

I trotted around the pasture, looking for some mud to roll in. Nothing, I thought. Turning around, I saw a girl looking at me. She was leaning on the fence-just staring at what I did.

Cautiously, I walked up to her. The girl held her hand out and I sniffed it. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a treat for me. Eyeing her, I gobbled it up. The girl started stroking my face.

"Good girl…" She told me. I closed my eyes, her touch felt good. "Mom?" The girl asked, not moving from where she was at.

"Yes Carolyn?" I heard another voice, I assumed it was her mother.

"Can I ride this one?" Asked the girl

"Carolyn, you're just starting to ride. Dixie is an intermediate horse." I heard a gruff voice say-it was Miss Peterson-the stable's owner.

"So?" Carolyn said. "I want HER." She told them, forcefully. I opened my eyes.

"Tack her up and meet me in the arena to try her out." Miss Peterson told her. Carolyn nodded and hopped the fence with a halter and lead she had. It wasn't leather-it was a cute red and grey color! I pranced with excitement as she slipped the halter over my head, buckled it, then clipped the lead line to it. Finally, she led me out and to the cross-ties.

When Carolyn tacked me up, she unclipped me from the cross-ties and led me to the arena. We saw Miss Peterson, someone who I assumed was Carolyn's mom, and Kathleen-the beginner rider's instructor.

"Mount up!" Kathleen told her. Carolyn nodded and shakily mounted me. She felt tense, but I didn't let it affect me.

"Loosen up, you're to stiff." Kathleen told her. Carolyn nodded and I felt her soften.

"Take her around." Miss Peterson encouraged.

Carolyn asked me to walk, and I did. She seemed a little off-balance, so I moved under her.

After a few laps, she relaxed more.

"Try her at a trot!" Kathleen called out. I waited for Carolyn's signal, then I finally trotted for her.

Even though I just met Carolyn-I felt an instant bond-one stronger than what I had with Tess.

But did I really want Carolyn over Tess? Maybe so.

Soon, Carolyn stopped me in front of all three of the adults.

"Well? Can I?" She asked, hopfully.

Miss Peterson, Carolyn's mom, and Kathleen all looked at each other.

"Yes." They said in unison.

Yay! I thought. I was so happy! Carolyn was super nice!

"Carolyn I'm going to talk with Miss Peterson some more, while I am, you can ride Dixie." Carolyn's mother told her. I felt Carolyn nod, then she clucked at me to walk on.

Chapter 4

I was dozing in my stall when I heard Carolyn and Tess walk up, talking.

"So…you're riding Dixie?" Tess asked, with a pang of jealously in her voice.

"Yup! My mom said I might be able to buy her soon!" Carolyn walked over and started stroking me. I leaned into her touch and closed my eyes.

"Oh…I used to ride her. She's great."

My eyes fluttered open to see Tess staring at me and Carolyn.

"Why don't you ride her anymore?" Carolyn asked.

"My parents bought me a show horse. She has great bloodlines! Drifter also has papers." Tess boasted.

"You can't ride papers." Carolyn said softly, kissing my blaze.

"What?" Tess asked her.

"I said; You can't ride papers. Does it really matter what bloodlines he or she has to make a great show horse?" Carolyn replied, turning to face Tess.

"I guess not.." She mumbled. "Well, you want to go for a ride?"

Carolyn nodded. "Sure!" Then she grabbed my lead line, clipped it to my halter, then led me to the cross ties.

Quickly I was saddled up and ready to ride.

"Let's go!" Carolyn said. She led me out to wait for Tess.

Finally, out came Tess with 'Drifter'. Drifter looked at me and I rolled my eyes. I knew from the day she set foot on here that she would be fighting for the top. And it didn't help that she now had MY rider.

"Ready?" Tess asked, mounting Drifter in one swift motion. Carolyn did the same.

"Yup! What do you want to do? Trail? Or practice?" Carolyn asked.

"Practice." Tess said. There was something off in her tone…like this was a competition or something.

"Ok!" Carolyn said, ignoring the new attitude. They walked us into the arena and Carolyn started to warm me up.

"So, are you going to be a pleasure rider? Or show competitively?" Tess inquired.

"I'm going to show. Mostly Western Pleasure and barrel racing, though." Carolyn replied.

Behind Carolyn's back I saw Tess smirk.

"I ride barrels and everything western." Tess told her.

"Oh that's cool." Carolyn said calmly. She told me to jog and I did. We circled the arena and I kept my head low. Then, Carolyn asked me to lope. Reluctantly, I did. Was she ready though? She hung on as I went around the arena at a nice smooth lope. I had my head down and I was on the right lead-I was a figure of the perfect Western Pleasure horse. Not to brag or anything!

Carolyn told me to slow by gently pulled the reins back a little. She patted my neck as we went at a slow walk. I watched Tess and Drifter. Tess looked completely fine, but Drifter was on the wrong lead, going way to fast, and had such a jaggidy trot.

"Hey Tess. My mom's here to watch me ride Dixie. And see if it's worth it to buy her. I don't want to be rude, but can you leave?" Carolyn asked, looking at her mom that was now outside of the arena.

"Sure." Tess said shortly, dismounting and leading Drifter out of the arena.

After showing off to Carolyn's mother, Carolyn dismounted and walked me over to her.

"Carolyn. What do you think of owning a horse?" Her mother asked, a smile playing on her lips.

Carolyn put her hands over her mouth and her eyes widened. "Can I? Please? Please? Please?" She begged.

Her mother laughed and nodded. "Let me go discuss it with Miss Peterson." And she walked off. Carolyn threw her arms around my neck and hugged me. Then I saw Sydney walk up.

"So YOU'RE the new rider here." She asked, crossing her arms.

Carolyn nodded and removed her arms from my neck. "Yeah! I'm Carolyn, you?" She stuck out her hand.

Sydney rolled her eyes and ignored Carolyn's kind gesture. "I'm Sydney. I ride Dixie." She said.

"Well, not anymore. My mom's talking to Miss Peterson about buying her right now." Carolyn told her.

"We'll see about that!" Sydney said then she stormed away. Just then Carolyn's mom walked out, will my papers in hand.

"Well! I bought her!" She told Carolyn, with a smile on her face.

"Yay!" Carolyn ran over and hugged her mom.

I felt happy, really genuinely, happy-surprisingly-happier than I was with Tess.


End file.
